Actuating mechanism for thumbwheel type switch



May 4, 1965 J, c. KOCI ETAL ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR A THUMBWHEEL TYPESWITCH Filed July 25, 1963 INVENTOR.

' Mfr/Kym United States Patent Filed July 25, 1963, Ser. No. 297,568Claims. (Cl. 20il17) This invention relates to a new and usefulimprovement in a thumbwheel type switch and more particularly to anelectric switch which includes a switch position indicatingdrum and amechanism for successively actuating both the switch and indicatingdrum.

A particular object of this invention is to provide in an apparatus ofthis character a means whereby the thumbwheel type switch may becausedto be rotatably actuated by an external push. button or actuator forselectively energizing an electric circuit.

A still further object. of this invention is to provide in an apparatusof this character a means for effecting positive switching operation ofa rotatable switch blade over a fixed printed circuit plate.

A still further object of'this invention isto provide in an apparatus ofthis character an indexing means for positioning both the rotatableswitch blade-and the switch position indicating drum.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide in an apparatus. ofthis character an actuating mechanism that is simple and economical inmanufacture, yet eifective and highly positive in operation.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be. hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be bestunderstood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of theimproved thumbwheel type switch;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the. same;

FIG. 3 is a rear, elevational view of the thumbwheel type switch;

FIG. 4 is a perspectiveview of the components of the switch in. explodedrelation with respect to each other.

The thumbwheel type switch of this. invention includes a housingldcomprising a front wall panel 11 which. provides a. transparent window12 through which a portion of the switch position indicating wheel 13 isviewed. The front wall panel 11 provides a suitable bushing 14 throughwhich slidably projects the free end 15 of a switch actuator lever 16.Thefree end 15 of the, actuator 16 is provided with a suitable pushbutton 17, which, as is shown, may be mounted in spaced relation to theface ofthefrontwall panel 11.

As seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, the rear face 18 of the front wall, panel 11provides spaced apart shelves 19 and 20. These shelves 19 and 20 haverecessedshoulders 21 and 22 which cooperate with the shelves 19 and 20to properly position and support the associated components of the switchwith respect to the front wall 11 in a manner hereinafter described.

A U-shaped mounting bracket 23 is provided. which comprises a verticallydisposed medial body portion 24 terminating into horizontally disposedparallelly extending spaced apart arms 25- and 26. The free edges ofeach of the arms 25 and 26 are provided with connecting points 27 whichare adapted to be projected through suitable apertures 23 formed in aside wall. 29,. Each of these points 27 are forced apart after they areprojected through the apertures 28 formed in the sidewall 29 as seen. inFIG. 1 so as to fixedly connect the side wall 29 to the free edges ofthe arms 25 and 26, and in a spaced parallel relation to the medial bodyportion 24 of the bracket 23.

The side wall 29 has formed therein a circular opening 3t);into which isfreely placed a rotatable disc 31. This disc 31 carries a switch bracket32 which provides a pair of arcuated switch fingers 33, the free ends ofwhich are adapted to be rotated over and in contact with printed circuitcomponents 34 carried by the one surface of the side wall 29, as seen inFIG. 1. The switch disc 31 is mounted on. the rectangularly shaped endof a supporting shaft 35 which shaft 35 extends through a hub 36 of aswitch positioning and indicating drum 37.

The opposite free end of the shaft 35 is freely journaled in an opening38 formed inthe medial body portion 24 of the U-shaped bracket 23 asseen in FIGS. 2 and 4.

The switch positioning and indicating drum 37 consists of a plasticperipheral flange 39 radially supported by one side wail-40 fromthesmall inner hub. 36. They flange 39 bears digital indicia on. theexposed surface thereof which indicia are adapted to be viewed throughthe window 12 formed. in the front wall panel 11 of the housing 19. Thesmall. center hub 36 provides a bushing 41 by which the drum 37 isfixedly attachedto the shaft 35. so as to rotate the shaft when the drum37 is rotated by a rotating means hereinafter described.

The drum rotating means includes the switch actuator 16 which isprovided with a laterally extending horizontally disposed shoulder. 42which in turn supports an upstanding fiange 43. This flange 43 has arearwardly projecting member 44 which has connected at one side.

thereof one end of a stepping pawl 45. This stepping pawl 45 is madefrom a fiat piece of spring material and has its free end 4-6 angled inthe direction of the hub 36 when these components are assembled togetheras shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The flange 43 has one edge thereof formed toprovide an indexing finger 47. This index finger 47 is adapted to extendtangently with respect to the hub 36 of the drum 37 for a purposehereinafter made. apparent.

On the underside of the actuator 16 there is provided a dependinglug48to which one end. of a coil spring 49 is attached. The inner face of thearm 25 of the U shaped mounting bracket 23 is likewise provided with anupstanding lug 5t) normally spaced horizontally from thelug 48 providedby the actuator 16 The other end of the coil spring 49isattached to thislatter lug 50 and thus functions to yieldably maintain the switchactuator 16 in. its normal position as shown in the drawings.

Theactuator 16 provides a guide in the form of a tail 51 which isadapted to be slidably contained, in a guide slot 52. formed in a rearWall portion 53 provided by one side edgeof the arm 26 of the bracket23.

The center hub 36 of the drum37 has one face thereof provided with aplurality of circular pins 54 radiallydisposed about and extendingaxially with respect to the shaft 35. These pins 54 are adapted to beengaged by the free angled end 46 of the stepping pawl 45 as it isreciprocally moved by the switch actuator 15 -so asto rotate the drum,37 in a clockwise direction as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4,

In assembling the thumbwheel type switch, the parts of which have beenhereinafter described, the drum 37 is mounted between the bracket 23 andthe side wall 29. The switch actuator 16 is mounted adjacent to theinner face of the bottom arm 26 of the bracket 23 for guided horizontalmovement tangentially with respect to the drum 37. This subassembly unitis then mounted on the front wali panel 11 by having the spaced apartarms 25 and 26 of the bracket 23 placed on to the shelves 19 and 20 withtheir horizontal edges abutting the shoulders 21 and 22 provided by suchshelves with the free end 15 of the actuator projecting through thebushing 14 carried by the front wall panel 11, as shown by FIG. 2. Byany suitable means, the arms 25 and 26 are fixedly connected to shelves119 and 20.

In operation, the switch actuator 16 is caused to move from left toright, as shown in FIG. 2, inwardly of the switch housing 11) andagainst the yieldable action of the coil spring 45 This movement of theactuator 16 is guided and maintained in a horizontal plane by having thetail 51 of the actuator 16 move through the guide slot 52 formed in therear wall portion 53 as provided by the bottom arm 26.

As viewed in FIG. 3, it is apparent that in the assembling of thecomponents of the thumbwheel type switch consideration has been given tosize and space. Thus it should be noted that most of the movable partsof the switch are in close proximity to each other. The laterallyextending pins 54 are minutely spaced from the inner surface of themedial body portion 24 of the bracket 23 and are of a length equal tothe width of the upstanding flange 43 provided by the actuator. Thus toaccommodate the spring pawl 45 in its reciprocal movement, the medialbody portion 24 is provided with an elongated slot 45 through which thespring pawl 45 is adapted to move.

As the actuator 16 is so moved the spring pawl 45 will move away fromand out of engagement with one of the pins 54 carried by the hub 36. Atthe same time, the indexing finger 47 will move from between twojuxtaposed pins 54 (from the position as seen in FIG. 2), tangently withrespect to the hub 36. At the same time the drum 37 is prevented fromaccidental rotation in either direction by a yieldable locking finger 55which is connected to the inner surface of the medial body portion 24 ofthe mounting bracket 23 in such a manner that the free end thereof isyieldably positioned between certain of the pins 54 carried by the hub36, as seen in FIG. 2. At the same time the top edge portion of theangled end 46 of the pawl 45 has moved beneath one of v the circularpins 54 and cooperates with the locking finger 55 to prevent rotation ofthe drum 37 about the shaft 35. When the actuating force is removed fromthe actuator 16, the coil spring 49 will function to return the actuator16 to its original position. This reciprocal movement of the actuator 16will cause the drum 37 to be rotated in one direction. This rotation isthe result of the horizontal movement of the pawl 45 which has itsangled end as in engagement with a successive pin 54 provided by the hub36. As the actuator 16 returns to its normal position, the pawl 45 willcause the rotation of the drum 37. The rotation of the drum 37 by theactuator 16 is arrested by the indexing finger 47 which moves back intoits position shown in FIG. 2 where it will engage one of the pins 54 ofthe hub 36 and prevent further rotation of the drum 37. V

The step by step rotation of the drum 37 moves the switch fingers 33over the printed circuit components 34 formed on the side wall 29. Itwill also result in the indicia as carried on the flange of the drum 37to be moved into alignment with the window 13 so as to indicate whatelectric circuit has been completed by the movement of the switchfingers 33.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying our invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without department from the spirit of theinvention. We, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims. 7

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination a rotatable thumbwheel type elec- 4 trical switchincluding a switch disc having contact fingers rotatable step by stepover a printed circuit,

(a) a housing for said switch providing a front wall having atransparent window formed therein and one side wall supporting theswitch disc and having on its exterior surface the printed circuit,

(12) a U-shaped mounting bracket connected to the one side wall of saidhousing,

(c) a switch disc position-indicating wheel within said housing betweensaid U-shaped mounting bracket and the one side wall thereof,

(d) said wheel consisting of a hollow open sided drum provided with anenlarged hub,

(e) a rotatable shaft fixedly connected to said hub rotatably supportingsaid wheel within said housing between said mounting bracket and saidone side wall,

(1) said hub providing radially disposed pins extending axially withrespect to said shaft and in spaced relation to said drum,

(g) actuating means within said housing between said mounting bracketand said one side wall for rotating said wheel and said shaft in onedirection,

(h) said means providing an elongated driving pawl havin a wheelrotating portion and a wheel indexing portion, each of which is incontact with certain of said pins provided by said hub of said drum,

(1) said wheel rotating portion including a yieldable stepping pawlhaving its free end bent out of the V longitudinal plane of said pawl inthe direction of and in contact with one of said pins on said hub,

(j) said wheel indexing portion comprising a finger vertically disposedwith respect to said stepping pawl engageable with another of said pinsprovided by said drum so as to control the distance of rotation of saidwheel in one direction by said actuating means,

(k) and an actuator extending through the front wall of said housing andconnected to said actuating means for reciprocally and simultaneouslymoving said wheel rotating portion and said wheel indexing portion ofsaid actuating means in a lineal direction tangentially with respect tosaid hub into and out of engagement with successive pins thereof to stepby step rotate said wheel in one direction through said housing.

2. In combination a rotatable thumbwheel type electrical switch asdefined by claim 1 wherein there is included spaced apart mounting meanscarried by said front wall to either side of said window formed thereinfor receiving therebetween the spaced apart parallel legs of saidU-shaped mounting bracket for connecting the same thereto and forpositioning said wheel relative to said window.

3. In combination a rotatable thumbwheel type electrical switch asdefined by claim 1 and including guiding means provided by said U-shapcdmounting bracket beneath the periphery of said drum and extendingparallel to the said shaft for receiving and guiding a portion of saidactuating means as it moves reciprocallythrou'gh said housing.

4. In combination a rotatable thumbwheel type elec trical switchincluding a switch disc having contact fingers rotatable step by stepover a printed circuit,

(a) a housing for said switch providing a front wall having atransparent window formed therein and one side wall supporting theswitch disc and having on its exterior surface the printed circuit,

(b) a U-shaped mounting bracket connected to the one side wall of saidhousing, (0) a switch disc position-indicating wheel within said housingbetween said U-shaped mounting bracket and the one sidewall thereof, p p(d) said Wheel consisting of a hollow open sided drum provided with anenlarged hub spaced from and within the periphery thereof,

(e) a rotatable shaft fixedly connected to said hub rotatably supportingsaid Wheel within said housing between said mounting bracket and saidone side wall,

(f) said hub providing radially disposed equally spaced pins extendingaxially with respect to said shaft and in spaced relation to theperiphery of said drum,

(g) actuating means within said housing between said mounting bracketand said one side wall for rotating said wheel and said shaft in onedirection,

(11) said means providing an elongated driving pawl having a wheelrotating portion and a wheel indexing portion, each of which is incontact with certain of said pins provided by said hub of said drum,

(i) said wheel rotating portion including a yieldable stepping pawlhaving its free end bent out of the longitudinal plane of said pawl inthe direction of and in contact with one of said pins on said hub,

(j) said wheel indexing portion comprising a finger vertically disposedwith respect to said stepping pawl engageable with another of said pinsprovided by said drum so as to control the distance of rotation of saidWheel in one direction by said actuating means,

(k) and an actuator extending through the front wall of said housing andconnected to said actuating means for reciprocally and simultaneouslymoving said wheel rotating portion and said wheel indexing portion ofsaid actuating means in a lineal direction tangentially with respect tosaid hub into and out of engagement with successive pins thereof to stepby step rotate said Wheel in one direction through said housing, and

(l) spaced apart mounting means carried by said front wall to eitherside of said Window formed therein for receiving therebetween the spacedapart parallel legs of said U-shaped mounting bracket for connecting thesame thereto and for positioning said wheel relative to said window.

5. In combination a rotatable thumbwheel type electrical switch asdefined by claim 4 inclduing guiding means provided by said U-shapedmounting bracket be neath the periphery of said drum and extendingparallel to the said shaft for receiving and guiding a portion of saidactuating means as it moves reciprocally through said housing.

References Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 691,557 1/02 Leve200-64 775,055 11/04 \lVaterman 20064 1,258,254 3/18 Robertson 2002,260,592 10/41 Winning 200-11 3,104,299 9/63 Koci et a1. 200156 BERNARDA. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner. ROBERT K. SCI-IAEFER, Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION A ROTATABLE THUMBWHEEL TYPE ELECTRICAL SWITCHINCLUDING A SWITCH DISC HAVING CONTACT FINGERS ROTATABLE STEP BY STEPOVER A PRINT CIRCUIT, (A) A HOUSING FOR SAID SWITCH PROVIDING A FRONTWALL HAVING A TRANSPARENT WINDOW FORMED THEREIN AND ONE SIDE WALLSUPPORTING THE SWITCH DISC AND HAVING ON ITS EXTERIOR SURFACE THEPRINTED CIRCUIT, (B) A U-SHAPED MOUNTING BRACKET CONNECTED TO THE ONESIDE WALL OF SAID HOUSING, (C) A SWITCH DISC POSITION-INDICATING WHEELWITHIN SAID HOUSING BETWEEN SAID U-SHAPED MOUNTING BRACKET AND THE ONESIDE WALL THEREOF, (D) SAID WHEEL CONSISTING OF A HOLLOW OPEN SIDED DRUMPROVIDED WITH AN ENLARGED HUB, (E) A ROTATABLE SHAFT FIXEDLY CONNECTEDTO SAID HUB ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID WHEEL WITHIN SAID HOUSING BETWEENSAID MOUNTING BRACKET AND SAID ONE SIDE WALL, (F) SAID HUB PROVIDINGRADIALLY DISPOSED PINS EXTENDING AXIALLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID SHAFT ANDIN SPACED RELATION TO SAID DRUM, (G) ACTUATING MEANS WITHIN SAID HOUSINGBETWEEN SAID MOUNTING BRACKET AND SAID ONE SIDE WALL FOR ROTATING SAIDWHEEL AND SAID SHAFT IN ONE DIRECTION, (H) SAID MEANS PROVIDING ANELONGATED DRIVING PAWL HAVING A WHEEL ROTATING PORTION AND A WHEELINDEXING PORTION, EACH OF WHICH IS IN CONTACT WITH CERTAIN OF SAID PINSPROVIDED BY SAID HUB OF SAID DRUM, (I) SAID WHEEL ROTATING PORTIONINCLUDING A YIELDABLE STEPPING PAWL HAVING ITS FREE END BENT OUT OF THELONGITUDINAL PLANE OF SAID PAWL IN THE DIRECTION OF AND IN CONTACT WITTHONE OF SAID PINS ON SAID HUB, (J) SAID WHEEL INDEXING PORTION COMPRISINGA FINGER VERTICALLY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO SAID STEPPING PAWLENGAGEABLE WITH ANOTHER OF SAID PINS PROVIDED BY SAID DRUM SO AS TOCONTROL THE DISTANCE OF ROTATION OF SAID WHEEL IN ONE DIRECTION BY SAIDACTUATING MEANS, (K) AND AN ACTUATOR EXTENDING THROUGH THE FRONT WALL OFSAID HOUSING AND CONNECTED TO SAID ACTUATING MEANS FOR RECIPROCALLY ANDSIMULTANEOUSLY MOVING SAID WHEEL ROTATING PORTION AND SAID WHEELINDEXING PORTION OF SAID ACTUATING MEANS IN A LINEAL DIRECTIONTANGENTIALLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID HUB INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITHSUCCESSIVE PINS THEREOF TO STEP BY STEP ROTATE SAID WHEEL IN ONEDIRECTION THROUGH SAID HOUSING.